the loud talker

you need to read more,
your school teacher
love interest tells you,
reprimands you.
you need to read
the Russians,
broaden your horizon,
proust and james,
Tolstoy and Chekov.
what about Thomas Hardy?
jane austen.
what about saul bellow
and t.s. Elliot.
the junk you consume
is not helping your
creative efforts. do you
hear me she says,
throwing a copy
of sylivia plath's
collected works at your
head. turn off that
tv for an hour and read.
how many more times can
you watch that stupid
Seinfeld show.